Microsoft Research Kinect tweak lets you grab to click

Microsoft Research has unveiled a subtle tweak to Kinect which could funamentally alter the way the system works.

Essentially, Kinect can now detect when you open and close your hand, allowing you to grab and drag and drop objects using the sensor. Think of it a bit like a motion-controlled left click for Kinect.

But here's the really juicy thing: Microsoft's demo video for the new Kinect tech appears to show a sligthly different piece of Kinect hardware - so we could be seeing the future of the Xbox's motion-sensing tech.

Paired with Windows 8, the grab action allows for quite sophisticated and delicate control of the OS via Kinect. You can, for example, easily navigate the new start screen using a grab and release action.

Coming from Microsoft Research, it does mean the Kinect tweak might not materialise for a long time. It's a shame, because this could be a handy way to navigate Windows 8 on a television, with a Kinect sitting below.